NEWTOWN, Conn. — An article that detailed the role and impact AR-15s have played in mass shootings across the country was published Thursday morning by the Washington Post.
In the article, the newspaper published graphic images from some of the deadliest mass shootings seen in the United States, including the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 students, two teachers and wounded 17 people; the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas strip where 60 people were killed and injured more than 400 others; the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut that killed 20 students and 6 staff members; and the 2017 First Baptist Church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that killed 26 people and wounded 22 others.
The photos contained scenes covered in blood, the destruction left behind by bullet holes, and a hallway filled with body bags.
The lengthy article, titled “Terror on Repeat: A rare look at the devastation caused by AR-15 shootings,” also included testimonials from those affected by the shootings.
In a separate article, the Washington Post published a follow-up titled “Why we are publishing disturbing content from AR-15 mass shootings,” which explained how most Americans do not have a full understanding of an AR-15’s “destructive power” as well as the trauma it causes to all people involved.
Some families of the victims impacted by mass shootings reacted to the article.
The co-founders of Sandy Hook Promise and Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, said in a statement that while the article was “undeniably disturbing, and should cause outrage, we believe this is also a time to channel emotion into actionable measures to prevent further tragedy.”
Mark Barden, the CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, whose son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012, said the Washington Post’s portrayal of the aftermath of large-capacity, semi-automatic weapons underscores the need to limit access to them.
“These inherently lethal instruments, designed to decimate the human body, have no place in our homes and communities,” he said in a statement. “We support legislation prohibiting the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines and assault weapons, including the AR-15.”
Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, said in a statement that while it is important to respect the families of victims and survivors by refraining from using graphic images, it is “vital for our nation to confront the harsh reality of gun violence head-on.”
“Despite disheartening statistics, each number represents a person, often a child, with hopes, dreams, and loved ones who cherished them. This is a reminder not to give up hope,” said Hockley, who is the CEO of Sandy Hook Promise. “Federal research and our own work in communities nationwide has proven that gun violence is preventable.”
Prior to the article’s release, the graphic images were a concern to the Uvalde victim’s families.
Kimberly Garcia, the mother of a Uvalde Victim Amerie Jo Garcia, 10, shared a post on X where she said she wanted to do damage control and warn people of the “very disturbing article” asking people not to share.
Brett Cross, the father of Uvalde victim Uziyah or “Uzi” Garcia, 8, spoke with both the Washington Post and WFAA where he supported the newspaper's release of the photos as long as they do not include visuals of his dead son in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
"I want people to see some of the gruesome stuff," Cross said. "If it affects somebody, if they feel that punch in the gut or that, you know, cringe when they see it and everything -- that is just a small, small, small part of what we live with every day."
The Uvalde Foundation For Kids, a national nonprofit formed in response to the Uvalde school shooting released a statement:
"While dramatic at times & difficult to process on an emotional level; the article itself served its initial purpose in highlighting a main culprit: AR-15s.
Our hope as a foundation is that current Texas lawmakers as well as those influencing policy relative to school safety & gun control overall across the country will heed the information the article highlights & act accordingly to increase protective laws for our students and communities. This should T
he foundation hopes that the article reignites a passion in the American conscience; motivating everyday citizens - parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, students & friends; to continue to raise their voices & take action at their local level across the nation to protect against this culture of violence which exists in this country & taking away the dreams, hopes & very lives of our future generations. Those who lost their lives in Uvalde & students today deserve as much moving forward."
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